Babar moves up to sixth position in T20 rankings

ISLAMABAD, Sep 17 (APP): Pakistan batsman Babar Azam has risen
21 spots to grab a career-best sixth position in the MRF Tyres ICC
Twenty20 Player Rankings after his player of the series performance
helped complete a 2-1 victory over the World XI in the Independence
Cup series played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
The 22-year-old started with a fine innings of 86 and followed
it up with two other useful knocks of 45 and 48 to finish as the
highest run scorer in the series with 179 runs, eight more than his
compatriot Ahmed Shehzad, who has gained nine slots to reach joint-
22nd position, said a press release issued here.
In the latest rankings update, which also takes into account
performances in Saturday’s one-off T20 in Durham which the Windies
won against England by 21 runs, Shoaib Malik was another Pakistan
batsman to gain as his 94 runs in the Lahore series saw him gain
four slots to reach 30th position. Pakistan leg-spinner Shadab Khan
has gained 32 places to reach 66th rank among bowlers.
As for the World XI, Sri Lanka all-rounder Thisara Perera has
gained 16 slots to reach 53rd place among batsmen and has also moved
up 13 slots to take 79th position among bowlers, while South Africa
batsman Hashim Amla has moved up three places to 12th position.
Windies batsman Evin Lewis’s knock of 51 has helped him gain
one spot to reach a career-best third position while his opening
partner Chris Gayle’s score of 40 has helped him gain four slots to
reach joint-22nd position. Among its bowlers, Carlos Brathwaite (up
17 places to 33rd) and Kesrick Williams (up 12th place to 61st) are
the major gainers after taking three wickets each in Durham.
Similarly, England pace bowler Liam Plunkett (up 15 places to
23rd) and leg-spinner Adil Rashid (up 11 places to 28th) have
ensured upward movement after their three-wicket hauls.
Meanwhile, the Windies side has overtaken England in the MRF
Tyres ICC T20I Team Rankings. The Windies side was in fourth
position with 117 points before the match but is now third with 120
points. On the other hand, England has lost four points to slip from
second to fourth position with 119 points.